Industrial & Specialty Printing - July/August 2012 - 19

terfeit drugs. These counterfeits are getting into some of the most dif cult-to-in ltrate environments, too. For example, the FDA announced in February 2012 that counterfeit versions of expensive and commonly used cancer and infection ghting drugs have been found in U.S. hospitals. As phrased by FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, Ph.D., in a CNN interview, “It is very hard for a healthcare provider to know when a drug is faked. And believe me; some of the fakes are very, very good.” PRODUCT SECURITY THROUGH ADVANCED LABELING While regulators and law-enforcement of cials seek ways to stem the ow of counterfeit materials, there are readily available technologies that product manufacturers can implement to protect consumers and thus reinforce the reputation of their brand. While pills, liquor, chemicals, or other products may be dif cult to recognize as knock-offs, product labeling can be layered with security features without obviously altering brand packaging to a signi cant degree. Security features for product labeling have existed in the marketplace for decades, and have been constantly re ned in an effort to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated counterfeiters. With the right measures in place to authenticate legitimate products, as well as a system for recognizing counterfeits being utilized throughout a supply chain, companies can make substantial strides toward increased product security and safety. There are many different levels of security that can go into product labeling, and it is highly recommended that companies take a multi-layered approach to protecting their brands. By design, there are no common formulations or constructions for security labels. With counterfeiters often being tied into organizedcrime rings and capable of acquiring complex production equipment, labeling security measures need to exist in many forms and must change frequently to make copying more dif cult. TYPES OF LABEL SECURITY MEASURES There are three main levels of secure-labeling technology: overt, covert, and forensic. Overt measures are those that are visible with the naked eye, such as watermarks, holograms, tactile effects, and iridescent inks. The bene t of implementing overt measures is that they are easy to verify in a store or by an end user; the downside is that they are easily noticed and copied by counterfeiters. Covert measures, alternatively, are less easily noticed, and may require simple equipment to recognize or read the hidden technology. Examples of this technology are uorescent markers, phosphorescent markers, infrared inks, and tamper-proof labeling. These technologies are somewhat more dif cult to copy, but advanced counterfeiters can still recognize and reproduce these measures. Forensic measures are the most high-tech security measure type. They require specialized laboratory equipment to recognize. Forensic measures may include taggants, chemical agents, or biological DNA. They often require the label to be destroyed for the label to be completely tested. These measures are dif cult to reproduce and can ultimately be the determining factor in recognizing fakes—but they cannot stand alone as security measures because they cannot be authenticated at a point of distribution.

INTEGRATING SECURIT Y AT EVERY LEVEL Security labels for high-risk products should include a combination of overt, covert, and forensic technology, and they should be included in every level of a label’s construction: substrates, adhesives, and printed inks and topcoats. Security-labeling experts should have a rm grasp on how to integrate security into various parts of a label and packaging and may collaborate with other labeling and packaging materials companies to develop best practices. Even when working with experts to develop hard-to-duplicate labels, however, it is important to have a basic knowledge of some of the features integrated into these labels. PRINTED MEASURES Microprint codes and narratives are created by special software available only to authorized graphics and printing facilities, and are written as small as 0.7 point type (0.0007 in.). Microprint can be produced with various designs from simple key lines to elaborate line drawings. A 20x-30x jeweler’s loupe is required for optimum reading of embedded codes. Depending on sophistication, these can be decrypted with a low-cost lm decoder or a specialized smartphone app designed for microprint veri cation.

“Counterfeit items negatively impact revenues and can damage a brand when they are mistaken for legitimate products and are of sub-par quality.”
Hidden graphics are created by special security software available only to authorized graphics and printing facilities and are embedded within larger images. Cost and security level will vary depending on the type of technology deployed. Depending on sophistication, these can be decrypted with a low-cost lm decoder or a specialized smartphone app designed for graphic veri cation. INKS Iridescent ink changes color based on viewing angle. Color can be applied beneath the ink to provide an altered appearance, and no decoder or reader is required to verify this technology. It allows products to be discreetly tested at stores and is effective against counterfeit materials printed via low-cost digital or low-end exo technology. Thermochromic ink changes color either temporarily or permanently based on applied temperature. These inks can be veri ed by low-tech means, such as rubbing to create frictional heat, applying ice to the ink, or spraying aerosol coolant. High-tech means also can be used for veri cation, such as using a steam autoclave, ETO gas, or gas plasma. Low-tech thermochromics can be tested discreetly at stores or after purchase, whereas high-tech thermochromics require specialized equipment available only at a testing lab to verify. They are effective against counterfeit materials printed via digital or exo technology, and they can be used to determine whether a product that is supposed to be stored at a speci c temperature has been improperly transported.
JULY/AUGUST 2012 | 19

Industrial & Specialty Printing - July/August 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Industrial & Specialty Printing - July/August 2012